Tuesday, August 30, 2011

If trying to cut the federal budget is anything like trying to cut a local budget, we are scroomed. (That's right. Screwed and doomed. Scroomed.) Take for example, my mostly lovely city of San Jose. The city seems to be taking very reasonable steps to try and whittle down the amount that they spend each year. And you won't believe (or you probably will) some of the complaints about one particular cut they're making. Who knew that people could harbor such strong feelings about doggie poop bags. Wait. What?

You heard me. Doggie poop bags. Those little bags that you put poop in when you dog, well, poops. Because no one wants to be anywhere that there's a lot of dog poop lying around, am I right? Yeah, I am. And the San Jose Mercury News reports that the city was spending $60,000 a year on those little bags. Holy crap! (Pun totally intended.) $60,000? Let me guess. There was just one vendor from which these were purchased? And perhaps said vendor contributed heavily to someone's campaign? What's that? Yeah. Uh-huh. Does it happen any other way?

Now get this: Here is the question that the article actually asked: "Just whose responsibility is it anyway to provide the means to clean up when Rover can't hold it anymore?" Wait. Whose responsibility is it to clean up after their own dog? Are you kidding me? What are my choices here? Who else besides the owner of the dog would be responsible? I'm so confused.The article goes on to interview people (some with seemingly soft, soft heads) to get their take on it. They received everything from "I was really bummed out...Everyone's so used to knowing they're here." to "We need garbage cans and poopy bags...Or people won't cooperate." Good Lord.

Aren't we at the point where we all just pick up after our own dogs? We are at least that civilized, are we not? I would imagine that if there is more dog poop out there right now, it's simply because people were unaware that the bags would be removed. (It's not like the city would have had the foresight to put up a notice to let people know that they needed to bring their own bags after a certain date. So simple, yet so foreign to so many.) Besides, who in the world authorized $60,000 to be spent on bags for canine poo?! No one thought that seemed a bit excessive at the time? No one thought to not provide the bags and to let people be responsible for themselves on their own? No one? No one. See? I told you. Scroomed.